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| compos mentis. Concision. Media. Clarity. Memes. Context. Melange. Confluence. Mishmash. Conflation. Mellifluous. Conviviality. Miscellany. Confelicity. Milieu. Cogent. Minty. Concoction. |
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Global Crossing to Recommend Buyer Soon |
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| Topic: Telecom Industry |
8:05 am EDT, Aug 5, 2002 |
Global Crossing, the troubled long-distance telecommunications company, is expected to announce a deal this week to sell its international fiber optic network and other assets. It appears possible that the winning bid may not top $1 billion. Global Crossing to Recommend Buyer Soon |
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Intellectual Property Rights (ipr) Charter | IETF |
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| Topic: Intellectual Property |
9:21 am EDT, Aug 3, 2002 |
This working group is chartered with updating and clarifying section 10 of BCP 9, RFC 2026, which deals with intellectual property rights, including, but not necessarily limited to, patent rights and copyrights. By next January, Steve Bellovin will issue three documents intended to clarify the IETF's position on IPR. Intellectual Property Rights (ipr) Charter | IETF |
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Will Consumers Pay for News Webcasts? |
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| Topic: High Tech Developments |
8:54 am EDT, Aug 3, 2002 |
Who will pay for online news? The question has long boggled the news media, which has largely failed to make money on their Web sites using advertising, even though millions use the free news they provide. But publishers and broadcasters are redoubling their efforts to sell news for money, and the offerings have generated -- if not yet profits -- at least some buzz. ABC exec: "I think many users, certainly not all of them, are prepared to pay for high-quality service and high-quality content." The key to success is gearing news packages to the interests of individual subscribers, beyond the simple personalization settings available on some Web sites. Will Consumers Pay for News Webcasts? |
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Blog's the word at MSNBC.com |
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| Topic: Technology |
8:46 am EDT, Aug 3, 2002 |
MSNBC will introduce a new Web logs section by the end of August, a move that will allow it more editorial control over the opinionated ramblings of its former online discussion boards. "Web logs create a different kind of community. Like-minded people come together to talk about things ..." This is interesting. MSNBC says that trading group discussion boards for personal web logs will simplify their editorial lives and bring an end to flame wars, apparently because people who disagree won't be able to find each other. Blog's the word at MSNBC.com |
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Envisioning Science: The Design and Craft of the Science Image |
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| Topic: Science |
10:10 am EDT, Aug 2, 2002 |
A crucial element of science and engineering communication is visual. In Envisioning Science, science photographer Felice Frankel provides a guide to creating dynamic and compelling photographs ... ... from the large to small ... capturing new material and biological structures at the microscopic level. Full-color illustrations, many side-by-side comparisons, an extensive gallery of fine science photography. Benoit Mandelbrot: "In the beginning were the image and the eye. Then man-the-scientist became enamored of the word and neglectful of the image. Now the small group of those who fight back welcomes Felice Frankel as a marvelous addition, both as skillful performer and as experienced and patient teacher. Her book is priceless." Eric Lander, Director at the Whitehead Institute: "Felice Frankel's work conveys the tremendous beauty and excitement of science." At the site, you can read an interview with the author and view pages from the book. Do you like Escher, and the fusion of art and science? Envisioning Science: The Design and Craft of the Science Image |
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Corning's Desperate Deal Destroys Value |
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| Topic: Telecom Industry |
6:45 am EDT, Aug 2, 2002 |
When you're in dire straits, you do what you have to do. There seems to be no end to the bad news, and that Corning's balance sheet, which looked so solid a year ago, is now shaky. Needing cash, Corning announced "a glorified common stock offering" that has sent its shares down 50% in just three days. Corning's problem is that there is no sign when its business will revive. This offering shows that Corning has decided that a huge dilution of its current shareholders is unavoidable. It is not a good sign for investors. Corning's Desperate Deal Destroys Value |
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| Topic: Tech Industry |
6:21 am EDT, Aug 2, 2002 |
The SEC has widened its probe of AOL Time Warner, investigating the company's former business relationship with PurchasePro, a struggling Las Vegas software firm. In one unorthodox arrangement, AOL gave $9.5M in cash to PurchasePro for $30M in stock warrants in the firm, and AOL booked the difference -- $20.5M -- as ad and commerce revenue. PurchasePro also bought advertising space from AOL and paid AOL commissions for selling PurchasePro software. At least two AOL executives have already retained attorneys in connection with the matter, including David Colburn, who recently relinquished his day-to-day duties. SEC Expands Probe of AOL |
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Online Paid Content: US Market Spending Report [PDF] |
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| Topic: Economics |
5:59 am EDT, Aug 2, 2002 |
Here's the full text of the "people are paying for content" study that's been in the news lately. The study determined that U.S. consumers spent $675M for online content in 2001, a 92% increase over 2000 spending levels. Further, industry growth accelerated into the current year, as U.S. consumers spent $300M for online content in the first quarter of 2002, a 155% increase over the same quarter last year. "As content providers get smarter about creating valuable for-pay offerings, an increasing number of consumers are responding with their wallets." Subscriptions are the dominant pricing model. Online Paid Content: US Market Spending Report [PDF] |
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| Topic: TV Documentary |
10:45 pm EDT, Aug 1, 2002 |
The remarkable true story of two inner city Chicago youths, LeAlan Jones (Roderick Pannell) and Lloyd Newman (Brandon Hammond) who, with the help of National Public Radio producer David Isay (Josh Charles), create audio documentaries about their impoverished community. The teens' broadcasts stir up controversy, but when they are able to get to the truth about the tragic death of a 5-year-old boy, they earn a Peabody Award, becoming the youngest journalists to ever receive that honor. Our America | Showtime |
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| Topic: Intellectual Property |
10:39 pm EDT, Aug 1, 2002 |
Powerful computers and easy-to-use editing software are challenging our conceptions of authorship and creativity. As usual, the entertainment industry doesn't like this one bit. Home remixing is technically incredibly easy to do. ... What we're seeing is the result of a democratization of creativity and the demystification of the process of authorship and creativity. ... turntables now routinely outsell guitars ... To teens, recombination -- whether legal or not -- doesn't feel wrong in the slightest. Bootlegs may be the first new genre of music that is almost entirely contraband. In blurring the distinction between consumers and producers, new digital tools are challenging the very ideas of creativity and authorship. The cultural landscape that emerges will be a plural space of creation in which it may even become pointless to designate who created exactly what, since everyone will be stealing from and remixing everyone else. Bootleg culture | Salon |
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